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1968 British League season

The 1968 British League season was the 34th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the fourth season known as the British League.

Summary

Edinburgh relocated to become the Coatbridge Monarchs. The Long Eaton team closed its doors, but a new team in Leicester returned to speedway to join the League. Long Eaton promoters Ron Wilson and Reg Fearman moved the speedway licence to Leicester Stadium because of concerns over increased stock car events damaging the Long Eaton Stadium speedway track.

Coventry Bees secured their first title on points difference and after they scored points in the last heat of their last match away at King's Lynn. The title win came after two consecutive years as being runner-up. Coventry's Nigel Boocock was again one of the league's leading riders with his average going well above ten for the fifth consecutive year. He was well supported by Ron Mountford and Czechoslovak star Antonín Kasper Sr. Wimbledon Dons who could only manage a mid table finish went on to win the British League Knockout Cup.

Final table

<small>M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points</small>

Fixtures & results

Top Ten Riders (League averages)

British League Knockout Cup

The 1968 British League Knockout Cup was the 30th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Wimbledon were the winners.

First round

Second round

Third round

Semi-finals

Final

First leg

Second leg

Wimbledon Dons were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 118-98.

Riders' Championship

Barry Briggs won the British League Riders' Championship for the fourth consecutive year, held at Hyde Road on 19 October. Briggs defeated Boocock in a run off for the title.

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Final leading averages

London Cup

Wimbledon won the London Cup.

Midland Cup

Swindon won the Midland Cup for the second consecutive season. The competition consisted of six teams.

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg

Second leg

Swindon won on aggregate 78–77

Riders and final averages

Belle Vue

  • 9.13
  • 8.50
  • 7.40
  • 7.34
  • 5.62
  • 5.56
  • 4.48
  • 4.29
  • 3.65
  • 2.78

Coatbridge

  • 9.28
  • 9.02
  • 6.48
  • 6.36
  • 6.05
  • 4.39
  • 3.62

Coventry

  • 10.74
  • 9.62
  • 7.51
  • 7.09
  • 6.46
  • 6.13
  • 5.46
  • 4.73
  • 3.40
  • 1.88

Cradley Heath

  • 8.91
  • 7.70
  • 6.71
  • 6.32
  • 6.20
  • 5.67
  • 5.02
  • 5.02
  • 4.19
  • 3.62
  • 3.16

Exeter

  • 10.72
  • 7.70
  • 7.51
  • 7.46
  • 7.31
  • 6.37
  • 5.71
  • 4.64

Glasgow

  • 8.31
  • 7.91
  • 7.43
  • 6.79
  • 5.78
  • 5.68
  • 4.92
  • 4.79
  • 4.17
  • 2.37

Hackney

  • 9.58
  • 8.99
  • 6.74
  • 6.24
  • 6.08
  • 5.31
  • 4.40
  • 4.08
  • 3.17

Halifax

  • 10.17
  • 8.83
  • 7.95
  • 6.27
  • 5.94
  • 5.43
  • 3.88
  • 3.75
  • 3.69

King's Lynn

  • 9.45
  • 9.40
  • 6.11
  • (Kid Bodie) 5.94
  • 5.24
  • 5.10
  • 4.34
  • 4.29
  • 4.00

Leicester

  • 10.19
  • 9.37
  • 6.62
  • 5.51
  • 5.43
  • 5.24
  • 4.06
  • 2.80
  • 2.58

Newcastle'

  • 11.37
  • 9.39
  • 6.86
  • 6.08
  • 5.76
  • 5.48
  • 5.09
  • 5.05
  • 3.67
  • 3.56
  • 2.24

Newport

  • 9.73
  • 7.97
  • 6.56
  • 6.47
  • 6.26
  • 5.69
  • 5.72
  • 2.00

Oxford

  • 8.53
  • 7.32
  • 6.87
  • 6.58
  • 5.52
  • 4.38
  • 2.77

Poole

  • 8.32
  • 7.67
  • 7.46
  • 6.94
  • 5.71
  • 5.25
  • 5.14
  • 4.53
  • 4.36

Sheffield

  • 10.07
  • 7.97
  • 7.54
  • 6.79
  • 6.39
  • 6.13
  • 4.76
  • 1.49

Swindon

  • 10.87
  • 8.51
  • 8.20
  • 6.18
  • 5.99
  • 5.25
  • 4.94
  • 4.29

West Ham

  • 9.78
  • 9.71
  • 9.11
  • 5.36
  • 4.95
  • 4.46
  • 3.33
  • 2.57

Wimbledon

  • 9.31
  • 9.15
  • 7.93
  • 5.87
  • 5.61
  • 5.49
  • 5.18
  • 3.54

Wolverhampton

  • 9.58
  • 9.24
  • 7.68
  • 6.82
  • 5.97
  • 4.86
  • 4.30
  • 2.86
  • 2.35
  • 2.29

See also

References